1. Early Life and Background
1.1. Childhood and Early Interests
Javi Martínez was born in Estella-Lizarra, Navarre, Spain, and was raised in the nearby village of Ayegui. In his youth, he was a promising basketball player before fully committing to football. His early football development included spells at various youth clubs such as CD Berceo (1993-1995), CD Logroñés (1995-1997), Arenas de Ayegui (1997-2000), CD Izarra (2000), and CA Osasuna (2001-2005). His older brother, Álvaro Martínez Aginaga, who also played as a defender, was a positive influence on Javi's early career.
2. Club Career
Javi Martínez's club career saw him rise through the ranks in Spain before achieving global recognition with a dominant period in Germany and later moving to Qatar.
2.1. Athletic Bilbao
Despite never having played a game with their first team, Athletic Bilbao signed Martínez as a 17-year-old from fellow La Liga club CA Osasuna in the summer of 2006 for a transfer fee of 6.00 M EUR. He had previously scored three goals in 32 appearances for Osasuna's reserve team, CA Osasuna B.
Martínez quickly established himself as a regular starter in his debut season with impressive performances. A highlight of this period was scoring two goals against Deportivo de La Coruña in a 2-0 away victory on December 16, 2006. He concluded his first season with 35 league appearances and three goals. He remained an ever-present figure over the subsequent two years, helping Athletic reach the final of the Copa del Rey in 2009. During this time, his buyout clause was increased from 24.00 M EUR to 36.00 M EUR following a contract extension in 2008.
In the 2009-10 season, Martínez continued to be the midfield engine for Athletic, making 46 official appearances and scoring nine goals. He netted a career-best six times in the league campaign as the team narrowly missed out on qualification to the UEFA Europa League. In the 2011-12 season, under new manager Marcelo Bielsa, Martínez began to be regularly deployed as a central defender. He made 50 starts in this demanding role, receiving three red cards during the season. This season saw Athletic reach another domestic cup final and the decisive game in the Europa League, though they lost both matches by a score of 3-0. Over his six seasons at Athletic Bilbao, he appeared in 251 official games, scoring 26 goals.
2.2. FC Bayern Munich
Martínez's impressive performances at Athletic Bilbao attracted interest from several major European clubs, most notably FC Bayern Munich. His transfer to the German club involved some controversy, as Martínez reportedly underwent a medical test before negotiations were finalized with Athletic, and even the Spanish Football Federation and national team coach Vicente del Bosque supported his move to Munich.
2.2.1. 2012-13 season
On August 29, 2012, after Bayern Munich paid the 40.00 M EUR buyout clause in his contract, Martínez signed a five-year deal with the German club. This transfer made him the most expensive signing in the 50-year history of the Bundesliga.
Martínez made his official debut on September 2, 2012, his 24th birthday, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute for Bastian Schweinsteiger in a 6-1 home victory over VfB Stuttgart. He scored his first goal for his new club against Hannover 96 on November 24, netting the opener in an eventual 5-0 home triumph with a bicycle kick. His second goal for Bayern came in their 6-1 demolition of Werder Bremen on February 23, 2013, heading home from an Arjen Robben free-kick.
Following the team's impressive 4-0 victory over FC Barcelona in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final on April 23, he received widespread praise for his all-around display and was credited as the key player in disrupting the tiki-taka football of national teammates Xavi and Andrés Iniesta. In the final game of his first season, he scored the first goal as Bayern came back from 0-2 and 1-3 down to win 4-3 at Borussia Mönchengladbach. He finished the season with three goals in 43 appearances, contributing significantly to the club's historic treble win, including the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and UEFA Champions League titles.
2.2.2. 2013-14 season
Martínez began the 2013-14 campaign on the substitutes' bench under new manager Pep Guardiola. On August 30, 2013, in that year's UEFA Super Cup against Chelsea, he came onto the pitch early in the second half and scored the 2-2 equalizer in the last minute of extra time. The Bavarians went on to win the trophy in Prague after a penalty shootout. Martínez finished the season with one goal in 34 appearances.
2.2.3. 2014-15 season
On August 13, 2014, Martínez suffered a torn ligament in his left knee 30 minutes into the German Super Cup encounter against Borussia Dortmund (an eventual 0-2 loss), which caused him to miss the vast majority of the season. He returned to action on May 2, 2015, starting in central defense in a 2-0 league defeat of Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Ten days later, he came on as an 87th-minute substitute in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona. In addition to playing in the German Super Cup, Martínez also played in one Bundesliga match and one Champions League match during this injury-affected season.
2.2.4. 2015-16 season
Martínez made his first appearance of the 2015-16 season on September 19, 2015, featuring for 24 minutes and receiving a yellow card in a 3-0 win at SV Darmstadt 98. His first start of the campaign came as a stopper in a 3-0 defeat of 1.FSV Mainz 05 on the following matchday. On October 4, 2015, Martínez played 90 minutes for the first time in one year and five months, in a 5-1 Klassiker win against Borussia Dortmund. On December 18, he signed a new contract, extending his stay at the club until 2021. He finished the season with one goal in 27 appearances.
2.2.5. 2016-17 season
Martínez started the 2016-17 season by playing in the German Super Cup. He continued to be a consistent performer, contributing to the team's successes. Martínez finished the season with two goals in 37 appearances.
2.2.6. 2017-18 season
Martínez started the 2017-18 season by playing in the German Super Cup. On October 31, 2017, Martínez scored the winning goal in a 2-1 away victory over Celtic during the Champions League group stage, which secured his team's passage to the knockout phase. In the process, he sustained a cut to his face in a clash of heads with Nir Bitton. This goal marked his first ever in European competitions, achieved in his 59th appearance. Martínez finished the season with two goals in 37 appearances.
2.2.7. 2018-19 season
Martínez started the 2018-19 season by winning the German Super Cup as Bayern defeated Eintracht Frankfurt with a 5-0 victory. On January 19, 2019, following a 3-1 win over Hoffenheim, he achieved his 100th Bundesliga win with Bayern Munich in his 120th appearance for the club, breaking the record previously held by Arjen Robben, who took 126 matches.
On May 18, 2019, Martínez won his seventh consecutive Bundesliga title as Bayern finished two points above Dortmund with 78 points. A week later, Martínez won his fourth DFB-Pokal as Bayern defeated RB Leipzig 3-0 in the 2019 DFB-Pokal Final, completing a domestic double. He finished the season with four goals in 33 appearances.
2.2.8. 2019-20 season
Martínez was part of Bayern's second treble-winning season in 2019-20. Although he did not play in the Champions League final against PSG, he was on the bench as Bayern secured the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League titles. He made a total of 24 appearances across all competitions that season.
2.2.9. 2020-21 season
On September 24, 2020, Martínez, who was heavily linked with a return to Athletic Bilbao at the time, scored in extra-time to win the 2020 UEFA Super Cup for Bayern Munich with a 2-1 victory over Sevilla. This was his second goal in two appearances in the UEFA Super Cup. Having scored decisive goals in extra time for Bayern, similar to his 2013 UEFA Super Cup final goal against Chelsea, he famously earned the nickname "Mr. Super Cup" from his teammate Thomas Müller. On May 4, 2021, Bayern announced that Martínez would be leaving the club at the end of the season, as both parties agreed not to extend his contract after nine successful years. He finished his final season with one goal in 30 appearances.
2.3. Qatar SC
On June 20, 2021, Javi Martínez signed for Qatar Stars League club Qatar SC as a free agent. He continues his professional career in Qatar.
3. International Career
Javi Martínez represented Spain at various youth levels before making his mark with the senior national team, contributing to a period of unprecedented success.
3.1. Youth National Team Career
At the age of 19, Martínez began appearing for Spain's under-21 team. He represented the nation at the 2009 UEFA European Championships in Sweden, where the team exited in the group stage. In 2007, he was part of the U-19 Spanish national team that competed in the 2007 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. Alongside players like goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo and defender Mikel San José, he helped the team finish first in their group and ultimately win the tournament by defeating U-19 France and U-19 Greece in the knockout stages. He returned to the under-21 setup for the 2011 European Championships in Denmark, where he captained the nation to its third title in the category. Martínez was also part of the squad at the 2012 Summer Olympics, which ended in group phase elimination.
3.2. Senior National Team Career
On May 20, 2010, despite never having been called up to the senior side before, Martínez was named in the senior side's 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa by manager Vicente del Bosque. On May 29, he made his full debut, replacing FC Barcelona's Xavi in the 74th minute of a 3-2 friendly win against Saudi Arabia in Innsbruck, Austria. On June 3, he started in another exhibition game, a 1-0 triumph against South Korea at the same venue, playing 80 minutes until David Silva took his place.
Martínez played once in the final stages of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, replacing the injured Xabi Alonso for the final 20 minutes of the group stage 2-1 win against Chile on June 25, as Spain ultimately emerged victorious in the tournament. He also appeared in one game at UEFA Euro 2012 for the eventual champions, again substituting Alonso midway through the second half, this time against the Republic of Ireland in the group stage (a 4-0 success). Del Bosque described Martínez as "a complete player," comparing him to Patrick Vieira.
Martínez was named in Spain's 30-man provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, as well as the final 23-man squad for the tournament. He made his tournament debut in the second group game, starting against Chile in the Maracanã in place of Gerard Piqué in a 0-2 loss that confirmed elimination for the Europeans after two consecutive defeats. He also featured as a center-forward in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final against Italy, coming on as a substitute for Fernando Torres.
4. Playing Style
Martínez is renowned as a versatile player capable of performing effectively in multiple roles. He can play both as a holding midfielder and as a centre-back. His tactical intelligence also allows him to operate as a sweeper in a three-man back-line in 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 formations, largely due to his excellent ability to play the ball out from the back. This versatility was particularly crucial for FC Bayern Munich under manager Pep Guardiola, enabling the team to seamlessly switch between different formations during a single match.
Beyond his positional flexibility, Martínez is known for his strong defensive attributes, including good tackling, physical power, ability in the air, and keen defensive awareness. He also possesses notable passing ability, technique, and vision, complemented by a strong mentality. These qualities allow him to excel in various midfield roles, including that of a deep-lying playmaker. Ahead of Euro 2012, football pundit Garth Crooks famously described Martínez as "as silky as a bar of Toblerone."
5. Personal Life
Javi Martínez's older brother, Álvaro Martínez Aginaga, was also a footballer, playing primarily as a defender. Álvaro mainly played in the lower leagues, with a brief spell in the second division with SD Eibar. Javi has credited Álvaro as being a positive influence on his early career.
In addition to his native Spanish, Javi Martínez is also fluent in German and English. He has a notable friendship with German professional tennis player Alexander Zverev, who was seen wearing Martínez's jersey during a warm-up at the 2019 US Open. Zverev is also known to be close with other Bayern Munich players like Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels.
6. Career Statistics
6.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Osasuna B | 2005-06 | Segunda División B | 32 | 3 | - | - | - | 32 | 3 | |||
| Athletic Bilbao | 2006-07 | La Liga | 35 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 36 | 3 | ||
| 2007-08 | La Liga | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 36 | 0 | |||
| 2008-09 | La Liga | 32 | 5 | 9 | 1 | - | - | 41 | 6 | |||
| 2009-10 | La Liga | 34 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 2 | - | 46 | 9 | ||
| 2010-11 | La Liga | 35 | 4 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 38 | 4 | |||
| 2011-12 | La Liga | 31 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 0 | - | 54 | 4 | ||
| Total | 201 | 22 | 25 | 2 | 25 | 2 | - | 251 | 26 | |||
| Bayern Munich | 2012-13 | Bundesliga | 27 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 3 |
| 2013-14 | Bundesliga | 18 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 34 | 1 | |
| 2014-15 | Bundesliga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2015-16 | Bundesliga | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | |
| 2016-17 | Bundesliga | 25 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 2 | |
| 2017-18 | Bundesliga | 22 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 2 | |
| 2018-19 | Bundesliga | 21 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 4 | |
| 2019-20 | Bundesliga | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| 2020-21 | Bundesliga | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 1 | |
| Total | 165 | 9 | 28 | 1 | 66 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 268 | 14 | ||
| Qatar SC | 2021-22 | Qatar Stars League | 21 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | 0 | 0 | 23 | 4 | |
| 2022-23 | Qatar Stars League | 17 | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | ||
| 2023-24 | Qatar Stars League | 22 | 6 | 7 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 29 | 6 | ||
| Total | 60 | 10 | 12 | 2 | - | 0 | 0 | 72 | 12 | |||
| Career total | 426 | 41 | 65 | 5 | 91 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 591 | 52 | ||
6.2. International
| Spain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2010 | 3 | 0 |
| 2011 | 4 | 0 |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 |
| 2013 | 5 | 0 |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 18 | 0 |
7. Honours
Javi Martínez has accumulated numerous titles and individual accolades throughout his distinguished career at both club and international levels.
7.1. Club
Athletic Bilbao
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2008-09, 2011-12
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2011-12
- Supercopa de España runner-up: 2009
Bayern Munich
- Bundesliga: 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21
- DFB-Pokal: 2012-13, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2018-19, 2019-20
- DFL-Supercup: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020
- UEFA Champions League: 2012-13, 2019-20
- UEFA Super Cup: 2013, 2020
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2013
7.2. International
Spain U19
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2007
Spain U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2011
Spain
- FIFA World Cup: 2010
- UEFA European Championship: 2012
- FIFA Confederations Cup runner-up: 2013
7.3. Individual
- La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2010
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2011